Naught But a Shadow
by Seldavia
Summary: Zelimpa. No specific game/world. As Zelda grows older, she becomes more attached to her ever-present guardian. When the endless cycle threatens to start again, she finds herself drawn further into Impa's shadow world. Impa's POV.
1. Chapter 1

You are naught but a shadow. Ever present, ever silent. No attachments to any person but one, and even around them you merely fade into the background.

So Impa learned very early on, from as long as she could remember. Few Shekiah remained to serve the Royal Family after years of war, so she needed to start early. So early that at first she had a shadow of her own, the elderly woman Ama, who watched and instructed and disciplined when necessary.

She was only eleven when brought in to guard the infant Princess. Death during childbirth seemed to curse the Hyrulean queens.

"It's because the spirit of the Goddess can only inhabit one person at a time," Ama told Impa as the young girl held the wriggling baby swaddled in black, both of them standing at attention at the late queen's funeral. "The line that began with Hylia still carries the power of the Goddess in its blood."

Impa glanced over to her grandfather Madu, the King's bodyguard. Up until the birth of the Princess, Madu had been the most important Shekiah in the castle. But now that there was an heir, the burden of protection had been shifted onto Impa's young shoulders.

The dire predictions at both their births didn't help. Impa had been named after the original Servant of the Goddess, at five years of age when her physical prowess and attunement to the spirts of shadow had come to the fore. Previously she had just been "Madu's Fifth", third child to Madu's second daughter.

The Princess herself had been given the name Zelda, a name only offered by the Sages when they sensed some sign that the Darkness was once again attempting to permeate the world. They hoped to call back the spirit of the first Zelda, the mortal Goddess.

Under Ama's tutelage, Impa assumed the role of Zelda's nursemaid. Ama and Madu laid out the tasks for her in detail, right down to changing diapers. They introduced a plethora of other servants that would also be taking care of the child. A wet-nurse, for as long as the baby needed her. Someone to cuddle her and play with her. Tutors to teach her when she got older.

Impa resented the young Hylian woman who would take the changed, fed baby from her and then shower Zelda with toys, babble at her and elicit giggles. When Zelda threw a ball that the two had been rolling back and forth, Impa picked it up and offered it to the baby, smiling. But the other woman snatched it out of her hand with a look of fear, and Ama jerked her away by the arm.

"Why can't I play with her?" Impa demanded. Playing was certainly less difficult than dressing the squirmy baby or changing her diapers.

"You're a Shekiah," the playmate huffed. "What do you know of it? Would you have her tossing bones on the floor to call the spirits?"

"They are afraid that too much time with the Shadow People will cast a pall on the baby," Ama gently explained. "Besides, your role is to watch and guard. The Princess needs to be with her own kind."

"But her father has a guard too. And her mother did as well."

"Only immediate members of the Royal Family have bodyguards." Later, after the woman had gone away and the two of them were preparing Zelda for her nap, Ama explained further. "To the Royal Family, we are their guards and protectors. But to the rest of Hyrule we are bogeymen, shadowy enforcers that steal people in the night and torture them in the dungeons."

After that Impa began paying more attention to the other Hylians around her, as well as the other races that visited the King from time to time. Impa had grown up in the shadows, among a handful of other Shekiah, the only outsiders being the King and his family. She knew the Shadow Temple intimately, every dark corner and fleshless specter, guarding the secrets of Hyrule itself. She had been in the Well, where threats to the Crown were detained and interrogated. The little time she spent outside was in the graveyard, where her people's spells held safe the remains of the Goddess's descendants.

But these outside people were different. They shied away from shadows. Even the Gerudo, who could talk to the spirits, kept their feet planted firmly in the World of Light. There was a line they would not cross, that the Shekiah straddled constantly. To the Hylians, the Gorons, the Zora, shadows were feared and loathed. They did not distinguish between shadow and demon; to them, both were children of the Darkness.

As Zelda grew older, her protectors allowed her out of her little nursery, and Impa began to see more of Hyrule's inhabitants. Ama left the job to Impa alone – Goddess forbid the child should have _two _Shekiah casting shadows over her! And here Impa began to see what the Shekiah meant to the rest of Hyrule. They flinched at the sight of the bleeding Eye stitched into her clothing. They eyed her dagger belted at her back. They whispered behind their hands, staring at the muscled arms and legs that she had acquired from years of training.

Impa pulled back from the Princess. She dressed her, brushed her hair, spoke a few words of greeting and bid her good-night. But she stood back as the girl sat at her lessons or formal dinners, always an arm's length away, but lost within the shadows.

Until a few days after Zelda's twelfth birthday.

Panicked screams erupted from the washroom. Impa bolted to the door, knife drawn, and a disheveled Princess collided into her. "Impa! Impa, I'm dying!"

Impa sheathed her knife and checked the child over. "Where? Where are you hurt?"

Trembling, eyes wide, the girl said haltingly, "I-I'm bleeding…from the inside…" She showed Impa a small trail of blood down her leg.

Impa began to lift the hem of her dress, then stopped. "Do you have pain here, just below your stomach?"

"Y-yes, yes!"

With a sigh of relief, Impa said, "Calm down, your Highness. You're not dying. Clean up in the washroom and I'll explain everything. Go on," she urged, when Zelda stared at her, speechless. "I promise it's nothing bad."

Wordlessly, Zelda did as she was told. When she came back into the main room of her chambers, Impa asked her, "Your tutors, they never told you what happens to your body when you come of age?"

Zelda shook her head. "What do you mean, come of age? I'm only twelve."

Impa frowned. "I can see it came early, but I don't know why they wouldn't mention…never mind. Listen, Highness. A woman's body builds a nest every month. If there is no baby to put in the nest, the body dismantles it and makes a new one."

Zelda stared. "But…how does the baby get in the nest?"

Impa spent the rest of that evening explaining to an incredulous Princess. She ended it with, "See, every woman has this happen to them. Your mother did, and so did I."

"How old were you?"

"For me, not until fourteen. But I knew what it was…my parents had told me years beforehand." Impa attempted an encouraging smile as Zelda's gaze fell in fear and confusion. "I was late, so I had lots of time to prepare. Perhaps no one thought it was time yet to tell you."

Impa didn't believe that the child's guardians could neglect something so integral, particularly considering that the bloodline of the Goddess depended on Zelda herself producing an heir at some point. But her encouragement seemed to calm the Princess, who went to sleep that night without any further questions.

The next day, while Zelda was occupied with a visiting relative, Impa spoke to the King. "You asked me to inform you of the Princess's menses. It happened last night."

His eyes lit up. "So early, eh? Well, she has matured quickly mentally, I shouldn't be surprised that it would happen physically as well. I'll get started finding her an appropriate husband immediately."

Despite her training, Impa's face must have registered shock, because the King began laughing. "No, no. I just need to find someone appropriate, get everything signed and ready, that's all. I'm not going to marry her off at twelve!" He wiped his eyes and became more serious. "I shouldn't have to mention this, but I suppose all fathers worry…you'll have to be watchful of any young men who start courting the Princess. I know she went through a phase around five years old where she kept trying to ditch you."

Impa cringed inwardly at the memory but replied, "I should think the Princess has better manners now, Your Majesty. I certainly haven't had any trouble with her since then." After a pause she said, "In fact, the Princess didn't even seem to understand what had happened."

"Well, of course not. We can't give her that sort of knowledge before her wedding night, can we? But I'm assuming that you told her it was normal, and nothing more."

"Of course, your Majesty." Stunned at his insistence on keeping Zelda in the dark, Impa decided not to tell him she knew much more.

"Obviously, though, I want you to explain to her all she needs to know if she is…marked." He said this last word in such a low whisper that Impa had trouble catching it. "We'll have a lot more to prepare for if she is. I was speaking to Ama, and I want to raise the possibility that she may need to be…contained."

Impa blinked. "What on earth do you mean? You do not think that Wisdom is a dangerous force, do you, sire?"

"Certainly not. But It's my job to ensure that Hyrule prospers, and we can't do that if we have Power tearing up the country and Courage following after, can we? Best to hide the fact that she's blessed from the rest of the country. Then maybe we can stave off any attempts on the throne…mine or hers."

Impa struggled to keep her face passive. "And what do you mean by…contained?"

"Don't worry about that for now. This is between me and Ama. I want you to stay out of it until you receive orders."

"Of course, your Majesty," Impa said reflexively, her eyes straying to the cheerful face of the oblivious Princess.


	2. Chapter 2

Later that afternoon, Zelda sat in the courtyard with one of her textbooks. It was a book on protocol, which Impa knew was one of Zelda's least favorite subjects. After a number of sighs and attempts to start over when her concentration wavered, Zelda put down the book and glanced around. "Impa?"

"Yes, your Highness?" Impa stepped into the sun where she could be seen, expecting the Princess to request a snack or drink.

"Would you like to sit down?" Zelda gestured to the space next to her on the small carved stone block.

Impa blinked, but beyond that managed to keep the surprise off her face. "No, thank you, your Highness."

"Aren't you tired?"

Permitting herself a brief smile, Impa replied, "Not at all, your Highness."

"But you've been standing around all day, haven't you?"

"I can stand all day and all night if need be, Milady. Please don't trouble yourself." She backed into the shadows again.

Zelda stared at the place where Impa had stood for a few moments, then attempted to tackle her book again. She struggled in vain. "Impa?"

"Yes, your Highness?"

"I…nothing." Her eyes followed Impa as the Shekiah retreated again. "Impa?"

"Yes, your Highness?"

"How do you do that?!" Zelda demanded, jumping up from her seat and dropping the book. "I was looking right at you and you disappeared!"

Impa could not help smiling. "It is simply a part of being a Shekiah, Milady."

Zelda walked over and reached out, as if attempting to touch her to see if she was real. "But the Shekiah are people like us, aren't they? You aren't born knowing how to disappear. You're not a spirit like a Poe."

"Of course not, Milady. This is merely something we are all taught at an early age."

"Is it magic? Or are you just so good at hiding that I can't see you?" The inquisitive Princess circled around her protector, as if searching for strings or mirrors.

"There's a little bit of magic in it, I suppose. The ordinary kind," Impa said, watching the young girl. "But most of it is just training in being quiet and unobtrusive."

"Do it again!" the Princess ordered, eyes wide and full of expectation. She squealed with delight when Impa disappeared, then shouted louder when her outstretched hand touched Impa's arm. "You're here, but I can't see you! How can that be?"

"Nonsense, your Highness, I'm over here." Impa threw her voice to make it sound as if she was speaking from the other side of the courtyard. Startled, Zelda reached out again and fumbled in the empty air as Impa moved noiselessly one step to the right.

"How did you get over there so fast?" The Princess scurried over to the opposite end and stretched out her hands, making a startled sound when her fingers hit cold stone. "It must be magic! How else could you do it?"

Impa suppressed a laugh as she stepped out of the shadows, Zelda's expression turning incredulous as she whirled around. "I told you, your Highness. It just requires a little bit of training."

"Will you train me? You must! You must teach me, Impa!" Zelda exclaimed, clapping her hands with glee.

"Absolutely not!" A sharp voice rang out from the entrance to the courtyard. They both whirled round to see Zelda's tutor stomping down the little path. "What a scandal that would be, the Princess hiding like a common thief!" She turned with a glance as sharp as her tongue to the forgotten book on the stone. "Come along, your Highness. It's time for your next lesson."

Zelda did as ordered, but under protest. "Why couldn't I learn how to disappear, Scribe Nelma? If something happened, then poof-! No one could find me!"

"Your security is not something you need to worry about. That is the job of the Shekiah and the Hyrulean Knights." Nelma walked so quickly Zelda had trouble keeping up.

"But if it was easy to learn, and Impa is always there anyway-"

"Enough!" Nelma stopped short and the Princess nearly smacked into her. She whirled around and stared straight into the startled girl's eyes. "Shekiah are filth. They live in the temple that houses all of Hyrule's uncleanliness. They are raised among blood and bones and tortured screams." She took a few deep breaths and lowered her voice only slightly. "They are the dogs that guard the doors so worse things cannot come in. We need them for the sake of Hyrule, but that doesn't mean you should associate with them."

Impa could see Zelda's shocked eyes darting around the courtyard, looking for her. Zelda kept watching the entire time she sat down for lessons, a good three hours. Nelma kept scolding her and telling her to keep her eyes on her texts. "What on earth has gotten you so worked up? You know I'm going to test you on this tomorrow. Concentrate."

But Zelda fidgeted in her chair, searched the room, and scribbled in the corner of her parchment.

Zelda did not speak at all during dinner, and offered only a few mumbled words when sitting with her father afterward. Not until she was back in her chambers with Impa brushing her hair did she venture a few tentative words. "Impa?"

"Yes, your Highness?"

"What Nelma said…is it true?"

Impa paused for a moment before answering, watching Zelda's wide-eyed face in the mirror. "Shadow is the barrier between Light and Darkness, Milady," she replied. "In order to fight Darkness, we must know it intimately."

"B-but…did you really grow up in a dark temple full of blood and bones?"

"Innocence is a luxury the King's guard cannot afford, Milady. But…" She stopped brushing for a few moments, trying to determine what to say. "Not all things of Shadow are dark and evil. They might seem scary at first, for those who have never been exposed to them. But there are many things that will cause you no harm, if you respect them."

Zelda pondered this, her eyes on the table in front of her. "I don't think you're evil. Or filthy."

Impa smiled slightly. "Your father the King would not permit my presence here if I was. Off to bed, now."

The next day Zelda sat quietly through her lessons until halfway through, when she said in a sudden outburst, "Scribe Nelma, there will be no more ill words about the Shekiah in my presence."

Nelma gave her an ingratiating smile. "Now, your Highness, I can't give a proper history lesson if…"

"You will use a civil tone and language when speaking about them," Zelda said firmly. "I don't think that is too much to ask."

"B-but your Highness…"

"Or I will speak to my father."

The flustered scribe snapped her mouth shut after stumbling over an apology. When she crossed the room to find another book, Zelda looked up from her parchment and smiled.

How, Impa wondered, did the Princess know where to look?


	3. Chapter 3

Zelda gripped the hilt of her rapier hard, and brought down the sword with all the force in her body. As it collided with Impa's knife her whole body jolted from the impact; and yet Impa stood as immobile as stone.

Impa lowered her knife hand as the two of them moved back to starting positions. "You're still using your hand instead of your arm, your Highness."

Panting, Zelda wiped sweat from her face. Now sixteen, she had spent the past few years begging Impa to teach her to fight. She spent as much time as she could wheedle out of Impa, in the secluded courtyard away from prying eyes that might report back to her father.

Of course, Impa had also added some wards and illusions of her own to hide the Princess's secretive training. With no Triforce mark making its appearance, Impa had gotten tired of waiting for whatever possible doom could befall them. Battle training seemed a good way to both fill in the little free time Zelda had, as well as allow her to vent the frustration that came with being groomed for the crown.

"I think we should stop for now," Impa said, as Zelda's hard breathing didn't seem to be slowing down.

"No, no! Just a little archery, please!" Zelda dropped her sword and picked up a bow. Impa sighed. Somehow the Princess always seemed to be able to extend their sessions far beyond the time she had allotted. Zelda fitted an arrow to the bow and pulled back with trembling limbs, aiming for the makeshift target hung on the wall.

"Your Highness, you can't shoot straight when you are tired." She stepped behind the Princess and gently took hold of both arms. Zelda tensed slightly, so Impa let go quickly. The arrow rang off the wall a good ten feet from the target.

"Are you feeling all right? I think we should stop for today," Impa said as Zelda picked up the arrow with trembling hands.

"Yes…yes, of course. You know best." Zelda picked up her sword from the ground and followed Impa through the twisting passageways known only to the Royal Family and their guardians. As soon as they reached Zelda's chambers, the Princess stripped off her clothing and made straight for the hot bath she had requested in advance.

"Your Highness, you have visitors today," Impa reminded her as she settled into the soapy water, clearly intending to stay there for a long time. "No lounging in the bath. Get cleaned up, it will take you a while to get ready."

Zelda rolled her head to the side to look at her. "Impa, I'm nervous. We've never been on good terms with the Gerudo. I've never met their King even though he's just three years older. And for Father to be talking about marriage-!"

"That's what marriages of state are for, your Highness. To establish ties between countries."

"I don't want to get married. What if my future husband doesn't like me?"

"I don't think your father would choose someone you dislike, your Highness. That would only make relations worse, after all." Impa began pressing soapy shampoo into Zelda's hair, expecting to be pushed away as usual. Impa had never been able to shake the habit she'd started since the Princess had been a baby, though for the past few years Zelda stated it made her feel like a child.

But Zelda didn't budge. "No matter what happens, you'll be with me, right Impa?"

"Of course," Impa said absently. Zelda said nothing more as Impa washed and rinsed her hair. But as Impa brought the towel and wrapped it around her, Zelda grabbed one of her hands and pressed it against her own chest.

"Look, Impa! Mine are almost as big as yours!" She laughed.

Impa flushed slightly. "Your Highness, that's hardly proper behavior."

Zelda turned beet red and ducked her head. "I'm sorry. I just…Father is always telling me to act like an adult, I want to at least look like one."

"Your Highness has nothing to apologize for. It's my job to point these things out…especially just before you are to appear in public." Impa wrapped the towel around her and led her to the mirror, where she ran a brush through Zelda's hair. For some reason her hands lingered in the long strands of blonde. "When you start to get dressed as the Defender of the Realm, you must start to think as one as well."

"Yes, of course," Zelda said, and did not speak another word until Impa had nearly finished her outfit. "Must I wear the long gloves? It's hot today."

Impa smiled slightly. "We all have our own uniforms, from the most lowly maid to the King. They state who we are." She laughed as Zelda made a short snort of impatience.

* * *

In the throne room, Impa stood at attention as always as the Princess and the King remained seated. A page announced the arrival of visitors, and the great doors at the end of the room opened to accommodate them. A young man flanked by six women entered, all with the same sun-bronzed skin and flaming red hair.

Impa felt the Princess tense behind her, and she could sense it too; a strange presence in the throne room, which had entered with the visitors. Impa scanned the crowd with both her normal and second sight, and her gaze always fell upon the same person; the amber-eyed King at the front of the procession.

The young man kneeled, and the women followed suit. "Welcome, Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo! I understand your journey has been a long one, so we will keep these formal matters short. Let me introduce you to my daughter, the Princess Zelda."

The man stood, his gold-coin eyes fixated upon the Princess. Impa heard a sharp intake of breath from Zelda. "I am honored to meet the Daughter of Light," he said in a deep, rich baritone that seemed much too old for him.

For a moment the Princess seemed frozen. But before Impa could prompt her, Zelda stirred from her trance and spoke with genial words and a smile. "The Court of Hyrule welcomes you, Gerudo King. Welcome and well met. Your leadership among your people is legendary."

"As well it should, or we'd just get rid of him." A loud, uncultured laugh echoed through the room. This was Nabooru, the King's sister. Impa had warned Zelda of her lack of manners well in advance. Although Impa knew the woman meant no harm, her abrasive personality always kept her on edge. She could see the King sneak a dirty look at his sister, who ignored it. "Greetings, Princess Zelda, from all of the Gerudo. We've heard plenty of good things about you as well!"

The King rose. "Now, I'm sure all of you are both tired and hungry, so we will have you escorted to the visitors' wing and you can rid yourselves of the dust of the roads. We have prepared a special meal for you, with the finest food we can provide."

* * *

Impa kept her eyes on the guests as usual, but she found herself distracted by the princess all throughout the meal. She had to keep reminding her to bring her hands out from under the table, and to stop scratching the back of her hand. She could feel the nervousness radiating from Zelda in waves, though that didn't come as a surprise; the King was being so accommodating to guests that he normally described as pests, she felt sure that there would be an attempt at a marriage contract somewhere down the road.

Really, it was probably the best idea. Hyrule prospered when the two races collaborated, and fighting between the two always seemed to cast a pall of darkness over the country. For some neither the weapon-making Gorons nor the water-controlling Zora seemed to have the same effect when they quarreled with the crown.

Throughout the dinner, Zelda smiled and chatted with the guests, giving off an air of happy contentment. But Impa could sense a deep uneasiness within her, something that mirrored her own.

Once it was all over, Zelda bolted to the mirror in her quarters. She stared at her own face as if expecting it to speak back. "What is it, Princess?"

Zelda yanked off one of her gloves, then yelped as if she had found a spider hidden within the fingers. "Goddesses, Impa, what does it mean?"

Impa drew in her breath, and she could feel her heart sink. There on the back of Zelda's hand was the infamous three-triangle seal, one corner brighter than the other two. The mark of the Burden, the Triforce of Wisdom.


	4. Chapter 4

Impa took the frightened girl's hand in her own. She could feel Zelda attempting to tamp down the trembling in her body. Why did it manifest now? Could the young Gerudo King really be so much of a threat that he would bring Nayru's gift to light?

Zelda stared with wide eyes, waiting for an answer. "Highness, you know the tale of the Goddess Hylia and her descendants. This is a warning. Did you sense something wrong with our visitors?"

The Princess nodded fervently. "Their King, I…from the moment he walked in the door, I could feel…"

The bedroom door opened a crack. Impa whirled round with one hand on her dagger, the other placed protectively on Zelda's shoulder. She relaxed only slightly when she saw it was only Ama standing there.

The elder Shekiah's eyes fell on the Princess's hand, the golden light now beginning to fade. Ama nodded, as if affirming something to herself, then said, "Your Highness, Impa. His Majesty has called an emergency meeting."

"The Gerudo King," Impa stammered. "Does he have…"

Ama put a finger to her lips. "Not until we reach the conference room. Quickly, now."

* * *

Ama led them first to the War Room, where the King often invited his allies in battle. It had been built to accommodate the Gorons and Zora, with enormous stone chairs for the latter and a small faucet of perpetually-running water for the latter. Maps and log-books from various campaigns hung on the wall or sat in shelves around the walls. But the room was dark, not even a few perfunctory candles lit to show the way. Impa could feel Zelda gripping her hand tight.

Striding to the far side of the room, Ama stood in front of a nondescript wall and spoke a few words in the ancient tongue. Seven runes emitted a faint blue light, which faded as quickly as it appeared. Even in the dark, Impa's eyes could see the wall disappear, an entry leading into a hidden room.

They walked in, and Impa could feel rather than see the wall reform behind them. A single candelabra sprang to life on a small stone table, lighting up the faces of the King and his bodyguard. Zelda took her hand from Impa's to rub her eyes, smarting from the sudden light.

The room itself held no adornments, merely blank stone walls. The table only seated four, and Ama stood so that the King, Princess, and their bodyguards could sit together. Madu, the King's bodyguard, spoke first. "I have just informed the King. We discovered that the Gerudo King has not one, but _two_ Triforce pieces in his possession."

"But how is that possible?" Impa demanded.

"Quite simple," Ama replied, her face grave. "It means that there will be no Hero this iteration. The Hero is already lost to us."

It took a few moments for that to sink in. Impa could feel Zelda's panicked eyes on her, but she kept her gaze on the King, who watched his daughter impassively with a determined expression on his face.

"There is one bit of good news," Madu said. Looking at him, one would have never been able to estimate his age. He sat as tall and rigid as the King, and a crisscross of scars stood out faintly in the candlelight on his heavily muscled arms. Only his short, snow-white hair offered a guess to how old he was. "Our spies inform us that the young King does not yet understand the full power of the relic in his possession. He knows only that acquiring the third piece will grant him great power. He does not seem to know yet who bears it, or how to use the Goddesses' blessings to their fullest potential."

The King scowled, and turned to Madu. "All the more reason to kill him now."

Madu shook his head. "Power already grants him immortality. Granted, he would need help in resurrection. But if we were to assassinate him, his sister the Spirit Temple guardian would be more than capable of this task. We cannot simply kill their King and expect no repercussions. Once his true personality begins to manifest, however, we can expect the Gerudo to desert him."

"So we wait long enough for him to wreak havoc?! How does that solve our problem?" the King demanded.

Ama spoke up. "His sights are set on Wisdom. So we must remove it from his reach."

"And how do you intend to do that? The Triforce cannot leave Hyrule!"

"He does not know that," Ama explained gently. "But we must make him believe that the Bearer of Wisdom has fled to another country. In reality, she will stay in Hyrule."

Impa felt Zelda tugging at her arm. Pleading blue eyes strained for her attention. Impa clasped her hand around Zelda's and squeezed it gently.

"There are a limited number of places where a Triforce piece can be hidden and not sensed by the other two," Madu explained. "Unfortunately, two of the three are unrealistic. The first is inside the lava tubes of Death Mountain. The second, the innermost room of the Water Temple at the bottom of Lake Hylia."

"Obviously, the first is out of the question," said Ama. "As for the Water Temple, even though the Zora are our allies, we cannot expect them to stand up to the specter of a new Demon King. There is no way to secure Wisdom there without them knowing, and for the Demon King to obtain that knowledge would be disastrous."

"And the third place?" Impa asked quietly, already suspecting the answer.

"The inner cave system connected to the Shadow Temple," Madu replied.

Both the King and his daughter gasped. "You cannot expect my daughter to live in that blood-soaked hell!" the King burst out. "With no Hero, how can we destroy the Demon King? How long will my descendants need to lurk in the shadows?"

Madu bowed slightly. "We do not intend to keep her there for long, Your Majesty. As I stated before, the Triforce cannot leave Hyrule. Originally, we intended to set up a sham marriage with a prince from another country. Once the Demon King followed the 'Princess' out of Hyrule, the Triforce would abandon him."

"Unfortunately, that sort of planning takes time," said Ama. "In order to make it believable, we would have to go through the entire process, from the proposal to the large public ceremony at the end. It gives him a very wide window to strike, and even with a full guard on Her Highness, we can't risk that."

"Well, then, what do you suggest?" The King scowled so deeply that his eyebrows seemed to crush into the bridge of his nose.

"We need to make him believe that Her Highness has fled the country," said Madu. "He will then attempt to follow her out, and the Triforce will abandon him."

"And we need to do it quickly. Every moment is precious," Ama cut in. "While we are certain that he has limited power now, it is still a threat, and it will grow exponentionally."

"In order for him to believe she has fled, he must be part of the chase," Madu explained. "He is smart enough not to take too much stock in rumors or gossip. And that's why we need to do this quickly, before his power grows beyond what we Shekiah can handle."

"How quickly?" the King demanded.

Madu paused, then looked directly at Impa. "It must happen tonight."

Impa felt sharp fingernails dig into her arms, and turned to see Zelda's terrified face staring into her own.


	5. Chapter 5

Impa's head roiled with the instructions she had been given, fighting with her attention as the young Shekiah scanned each shadow for the smallest threat. The young Princess walked closely next to her, and Impa could feel her fighting the impulse to wring her hands. They both walked loosely, as leisurely as possible, knowing that the Gerudo King – who in all likeliness was watching them right now –should not suspect a thing. If he did, it was all over.

Only a skeleton crew of guards stood in the doorways. None of the other Shekiah were close enough to serve any protection. Ama had issued her plan to tempt the King of Thieves with his prize within easy reach – but not so obvious that he would suspect he had been set up. Hopefully – if all went according to plan – the Gerudo King would act alone. Ama assured them that even his second-in-command did not know about his ambitions regarding the Triforce, and was unwilling to reveal them to his people. But if they saw their King under attack, then they would retaliate, and that would end in all-out war.

And so Impa stood as the single line of defense between the King of Thieves and the Triforce of Wisdom. Every so often she let her eyes fall upon her charge, who faithfully never returned the glance. Zelda stared straight ahead, eyes half-shut in a false sleepiness that Impa could feel her struggle to keep up. The Princess even faked a yawn or two and absently scratched the back of her head, something she had been instructed since childhood to do only when no one was looking.

Impa sensed him following them not long after they left the meeting. His presence manifested slowly, his shadow at first a mere flicker in the candlelight. He was alone, and stalked them easily, confidently, a lone wolf waiting patiently for his prey to reach just the right place. As they walked, Impa could sense his shadow growing larger, looming over them in the dim torch-light and threatening to swallow them both. As the impending specter threatened to fill Impa's second sight, she realized that he was waiting for them to return to Zelda's chambers, a high tower with few exits, a false promise of safety.

The torches in the doorway flared to life, and Impa prompted her charge with an excuse to stay suspiciously alert and awake this late at night. "I know you've been looking forward to finishing your novel, Your Highness, but it is late and you must rest."

Zelda turned to her and gave her a smile that held not a care in the world. "Oh, but Impa, I'm almost finished! Please, just a few minutes?"

"I'll have to insist, your Highness."

"Just one chapter more!"

Impa let out an exaggerated sigh, taking some of her tension with it. "Very well, then. Quickly, into your bedclothes." Once in the inner chamber, Impa helped her out of the dress, her nerves tingling as she strained her ears for the slightest sound. The enormous shadow that engulfed them did not move. It was clear that he would attempt to strike only when she was asleep.

Plucking the book out of Zelda's hands, Impa said, "Forgive me, your Highness, but I forgot you have calligraphy tomorrow. You made four mistakes last week, remember? I shouldn't have to remind you that your handwriting needs to be impeccable."

"Oh…" Zelda's face registered disappointment, masking her fear. "I…very well, Impa." She got into the bed as Impa extinguished the lights. "Good night."

Impa stood next to the head of the bed, ready and waiting. She could hear the Princess slow her breathing down to a passable imitation of slumber. Several tense minutes ticked by. Then, finally, she could feel that deep, dark shadow move. She wrapped her hand around her dagger, her blood-red eyes straining in the darkness.

A few mumbled words, no louder than a cat's footsteps. Impa recognized the chant, invoking the spirit of the scorpion. She raised her hands in defense and barked an order, calling the shadows to her aid. Her inner eye wavered as the two magics clashed, and an angry shout of frustration rang through the room.

Zelda bolted upright in the bed, then threw the blankets aside as she scrambled out and away from the stalled fighters next to her. She felt large fingers brush against the folds in her silken nightclothes, then clench around nothing. With a word she summoned a small pip of light into her hand and stood rooted in fear as it reflected off two huge, gold-coin eyes. A broad hand reached toward her to extinguish it.

Impa leaped forward, knife in hand, and drove it deep into broad shoulders. She jerked it back out, blood up to the hilt, but the man in front of her did not stop his advance toward the Princess. She wrapped one arm around a neck as broad as a tree trunk, and brought the dripping knife to his throat. To her surprise another hand grasped her by the shoulders and ripped her from his back, sending her flying against the wall.

"Impa!" The Princess ran to her and Impa staggered to her feet, pressing the girl's face to her chest and shutting her eyes tight. With her free hand she pulled a few nuts from her pocket and threw them to the ground. A bright flash, a roar of pain, and Impa turned on her heel and fled with the Princess as their attacker clawed at his eyes.

The pair fled through the corridors, Impa raising the alarm as she went. A few brave souls stepped between the fleeing Princess and the angry Gerudo King, only to be mowed down in bare seconds.

They ran to the stables, where a horse had been made ready. With one hand firmly gripping the Princess's arm, she attempted to lead the horse to the doors. Impa helped the Princess into the saddle and then moved to climb up behind her.

A rumbling shout called down lightning from the skies, and Impa's sight wavered as her entire body seized up, the crackle of magic deafening her and the smell of burning hair filling her nose. She collapsed on her back, twitching, as the horse reared and Zelda fumbled for the reins.

The figure of the Gerudo King loomed large in her vision. He stared down at her with an expression both furious and triumphant, with no sign that the injury Impa had given him had affected him at all. He held in one hand a greatsword large enough for two people, its blade stained crimson. Impa struggled to move, her body ravaged with seizures, as the tall man raised his sword.

Suddenly he, too, cried out as jagged lines of light zigzagged across his body. As he fought to locate the source of the pain, Impa could see a spear of light embedded in one arm. The seizures dying down, she turned her head to see a surprised-looking Princess sitting astride the horse, with a golden bow fading from her hands.

Struggling to her feet, Impa mounted the horse behind Zelda and drove her heels into its flanks. The horse needed no second bidding and fled out of the main castle toward the town at full speed. With one hand on the reins, she held the trembling Princess tight in her other arm.

A clatter of hooves behind them made Impa turn around, and her heart stopped. The Gerudo King rode behind them on some summoned creature, manifested as a black horse with flaming hair and demonic eyes. It quickly began to close the distance between them, not constrained by the limits of mortal beasts.

As they burst into the town, Impa threw down another nut, its flash a signal to the guards at the gate. The great gate began inching upward, closing off the castle town. Impa urged her horse forward as the demon beast's footfalls echoed louder in their ears. She felt her hair stand on end as another bolt of magic grazed the two of them and fell sizzling to the ground.

The horse's hooves clattered on the wood of the rising gate, and Impa spurred it on as they rode at an upward angle. Finally at the end the horse made a great leap, landing hard on the ground just beyond the moat, stumbling briefly before it picked up its feet again and bolted toward Kakariko Town. Impa did not slow their speed, and for good reason; they had not even reached the town gate before an explosion rocked the night, and Impa turned briefly to see the town gate shatter in a shower of burning splinters.

Once inside the gate, they dismounted and Impa sent the horse off toward Death Mountain, in an attempt to throw off their pursuer, or at least give him pause to consider the possibility. She picked Zelda up and carried her in her arms through the town and across the graveyard, the young Princess clinging tightly to her in her thin nightdress, in the chill night air.

Finally they reached the entrance to the caves. Bidding Zelda to place her arms around her neck, Impa scaled the rock wall with the Princess on her back. They entered the small opening, and Impa instructed Zelda to watch the entryway as she opened the main door. With a few words of magic, Impa summoned fire into the braziers, and their flames lit up runes carved into the door. Impa touched three of the runes, speaking prayers to Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, water, and shadows. The enormous double doors groaned open, and the pair ran inside, the doors closing behind them.

Zelda skidded to a halt as they stood in front of another wall, a grinning skull with dull ruby eyes glaring at them in the non-light. It spoke without voice, in their minds: "_Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred."_

Impa put a comforting hand on Zelda's shoulder, and Zelda looked up at her quizzically. "I know this may be hard for you to believe," she said as she extended her other arm, showing it pass right through the wall. "But here, we are finally safe."


	6. Chapter 6

"This way, Princess," Impa took Zelda's arm and walked through the wall. She felt the girl's nails bite into her arm. "Unless we are very unlucky and Ganondorf manages to find a way into the temple, we need not go very far or stay very long."

She stopped at the edge of a large room, where a giant pillar housed a great black stone vulture scowling down at them, wings open. Behind the pillar yawned a deep chasm, and beyond that a small open doorway. There was no bridge over the gap.

"Take care not to touch the statue," Impa cautioned, and Zelda flinched, clenching hands before they even attempted to grasp of anything but Impa. "It is a trapdoor meant to keep out anyone who attempts to go further into the temple."

"What..." Zelda's voice faltered, so she swallowed and tried again. "What could anyone possibly want in there?"

"There is nothing anyone sound of mind would want," Impa said. "The bowels of this temple hold all the unclean things in Hyrule that we Shekiah have gathered over the centuries."

Zelda shivered. "It seems like an odd use for a temple."

"Perhaps, on the surface. But holy places hold strong magic, which is needed to keep many of these things confined. As well, this is not just a temple of dark things; it is a temple of protection, shadows and concealment that are used to understand and counter all threats to the Royal Family. To battle evil, Your Highness, one must know it intimately."

She gestured to one of the nearby walls. "However, that's no concern for us right now. There are things in this wing of the Temple that may seem frightening to you, but none of them are strong enough to harm a member of the Royal Family. All the things within here are either servants to us, or are simply not dangerous enough to house in the more secure area. Fear not, Your Highness, though their appearance may be quite startling, they cannot hurt you in any way."

Impa started to stay more, but bit her tongue. She had not yet been given approval to tell Zelda of her first ancestor; for now, the myth that the Royal Family was spawned by a Goddess would remain just that. It was enough for her to know that she was not in danger, no need to explain the peculiarities of the blood of a Goddess.

Zelda held tight to her arm as they walked through the trick wall. Zelda gasped and attempted to step back, but Impa pulled her back.

"There are skulls everywhere!" Zelda stammered, clasping both arms around Impa's. "Why, why are they here and not in the graveyard?"

"It is a crypt, Your Highness. Many of the dead are Shekiah, laid to rest here to watch over us." She did not mention that they were also placed here to keep guard over enemies of the Crown, whose eyeless gaze raked them as they passed, their skulls jockeying for position among the Shekiah on the shelves.

"It's...it's horrible!" Zelda's hands flew to her face. "And you had to live here? Before you came to the castle?"

Impa frowned, slightly hurt. "I suppose it seems strange at first, but you must remember, Princess...death is part of life, just as shadow is linked to light. I grew up here, so it is normal for me. The Shekiah whose remains rest here were my ancestors. They are my family."

Zelda pulled her hands away from her face, and again gripped Impa's arm, grasping for decorum. "Forgive me, Impa, forgive my rudeness. It's just been such a shock, with everything that has happened..."

"I understand. We've already set aside a room to serve as your sleeping quarters. Hopefully your stay here will be short enough that you need only sleep here a couple of nights."

"And how do you tell night from day here?"

Impa smiled. "inside, there really is no need. But I mean that we can leave once Ganondorf has gone searching for you abroad."

Impa grasped a metal door handle that opened with a clank and a creak. Inside, the skulls were replaced by hewn stone walls and one brightly burning brazier. Two beds stood on the opposite side, one of wood with simple bedding and the other only a cot.

Zelda stepped toward the bed, then halted. "Impa, you are more tired than I. You should sleep in the bed. I will sit on the cot."

Her servant gave her a startled look. "That's hardly appropriate, your Highness. The bed is yours. I am perfectly comfortable with the cot."

"No, Impa, I insist. If we are indeed safe here, then you should get a decent rest while you can. Besides, I am far too awake from all the excitement to sleep now."

"Your Highness..."

"Impa, please. That's an order."

Impa looked down into Zelda's pleading face, and placed an affectionate hand on her shoulder. "All right, your Highness. If you insist."

As she got into the bed, she wondered if she would be able to sleep at all, the downy comforter and soft bedding nearly suffocating her. But their flight from the castle had taken its toll. Not long after her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep.

When she awoke the next morning, she nearly jumped out of her skin. A warm body lay beside her, fingers gripping her clothing. She managed to prevent her instinct forcing her to immediately brain the person next to her; and thank the Goddesses she did, for it was the Princess lying in bed beside her.

Impa gently untangled Zelda's tightly gripped fingers. The girl still slept, doubtless complettely exhausted. Impa knew the proper thing for her to do would be to leave for the cot, but something kept her in the tiny bed barely big enough for two people. For a few precious minutes she just sat there, stroking Zelda's hair, the warmth of her body offsetting the chill of the damp chamber. Finally Impa pulled herself together and got out of the bed, wrapping the comforter protectively around the Princess.

She crossed over to the cot, sat down and simply watched Zelda sleep. Part of her hoped that Ganondorf would immediately run out of the country on a fruitless search, so that Zelda could go back to the home she loved. And part of her wanted to stay – just for a little bit – so that she could sleep without keeping one eye open, always watching for threats.

Not even just threats. There were always people barging in demanding to see the Princess, nobles of various types, not to mention the King himself. Impa didn't want to imagine what someone like that might have thought upon seeing them together...

A knock at the door. Impa jumped back to the present and stood as Ama entered. "How is the Princess?"

Impa simply nodded toward the bed in answer. Ama gave a quick look, nodded, and turned back to Impa. "You may need to move further in. Ganondorf is still prowling around the graveyard."

Shocked, Impa turned to the sleeping Zelda. "Further? Now? Should I wake her up?"

"Let her sleep for now. We are keeping him under surveillance. But you should be ready to move at any moment."

"Understood."

"Another thing." Ama leaned in closer. "We've heard that he may go to Twinrova for assistance if he can't find a way in."

Impa's eyes widened. "The twin witches? But they are pariahs even among the Gerudo!"

"It seems their skills with black magic are proving too tempting for him. So far his sister is still keeping him in check. But there is no way to tell how long he will continue to bow to the will of his people."

Impa made a hissing breath. "If that obstacle is removed, there will be no stopping him."


End file.
